What it's like to go to the doctor as a gay woman

Quite frankly, not as straightforward as it should be.

By
Christobel Hastings

Aug 8, 2018

Going to the doctor about sexual health is never a walk in the park. There aren’t many of us who enjoy talking about smear tests, STIs and UTIs, especially not while holding prolonged eye contact with your GP in a small office. But for those in the LGBTQ+ community, navigating the healthcare system can be an even trickier experience.

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In an age of equal marriage, increased same-sex legislation and high profile LGBTQ+ individuals, you’d be forgiven for thinking that sexual and gender minorities don’t suffer. Rights on paper don’t automatically fix disparities in the healthcare system. The reality is that if you’re LGBTQ+, going to the doctor can be a profoundly stressful experience, and receiving equal care is never guaranteed.

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As a community, LGBTQ+ people are programmed to be on guard for negative reactions to our sexuality and gender identity, which can range from low-level disapproval to outright violence. But on top of that, we’re also a diverse group with unique healthcare needs that include higher mental health disorders and levels of alcoholism. And more often than not, it’s tough to get those specific needs met when deep-rooted stigma and discrimination run deep in the profession - and dictates our health outcomes.

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"I’ve lost count of the amount of times doctors have presumed I have a boyfriend"

So when news emerged this week that lesbian and bisexual women are being incorrectly told that they don’t need cervical cancer screenings, I wasn’t at all surprised. The research, spearheaded by the National LGB&T Partnership, found half of all eligible lesbian and bisexual women have never had a smear test, while 36% of participants surveyed said a doctor or nurse had wrongly assumed they were straight.

Maybe it’s down to clumsy assumptions about sexuality, misinformation about the services LGBTQ+ people need, or worse, inappropriate or discriminatory treatment. But the barriers LGBTQ+ people face when accessing healthcare continue to make getting the care we deserve a tough process.

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As a feminine-presenting queer woman, I’m often on the receiving end of misguided preconceptions about my sexuality. I’ve lost count of the amount of times doctors, nurses and surgery staff have presumed I have a boyfriend, or questioned me about my reasons for renewing my contraceptive prescription (which I take to improve my skin) on finding out I don’t have a male partner. Puzzled questions inevitably follow: why are you taking a contraceptive if you can’t get pregnant? Are you absolutely sure you’re not pregnant? Do you have any other partners?

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More often than not, the inattentive and disapproving body language from healthcare professionals is enough to make me feel unwelcome. Whether it’s a raised eyebrow or a terse remark, these micro aggressions chip away at my willingness to return.

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It’s not just me. A mere mention of the words ‘doctor’s surgery’ are enough to remind my friend Soraya*, a 24-year-old who identifies as pansexual, of her poor experiences. “It’s frustrating when I have to continually contradict doctors who assume I’m straight”, she says. “Even after I tell them I’m pan I have to deal with really basic, inappropriate questions. They seem to have little to no knowledge about the spectrum of sexuality”.

“I’ve been asked twice before if I 'sleep around', despite mentioning that I have a girlfriend”

Another friend, Lucy*, a 28-year-old lesbian, told me she believed doctors have a tendency to “pathologise same-sex relationships”, and assume that the LGBTQ+ identity is tied to promiscuity. “I’ve been asked twice before if I sleep around, despite mentioning that I have a girlfriend”, she says. “It’s humiliating”.

Though social progress for the LGBTQ+ community had rapidly improved over the last 30 years, healthcare remains its Achilles heel. Research conducted by the GP Patient Survey in 2012-13 found greater levels of anxiety and depression in lesbian women compared to heterosexual women.

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Of those who had come out to a clinician, only 59% of lesbians and 39% of bisexual women reported their clinician reacted positively to their sexual orientation. Worse yet, sexual minorities were always more likely to report unfavourable experiences with nurses and doctors in a GP setting.

If, as a community, we’re to stand any chance of improving our physical and emotional wellbeing, then healthcare has got to catch up. There must be greater familiarity with the specific needs of our community, and inclusive healthcare that encourages us to come through the surgery doors without trepidation. Regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, we all have the right to be treated with care and respect.

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